It was hidden in plain sight:

In the wake of Bush's fighter pilot-like stunt on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, there has been renewed interest in charges that he was AWOL from the Air National Guard during his 6 year term of service. We think that Bush did bug-out, but proving that is difficult. There don't appear to be any records that would indicate when he (or anybody else) showed up for duty. If there are, that would clear up the matter, but until that happens we are left with personal recollections. Those recollections are of the "I don't remember seeing Bush at the base" variety, which makes it likely - but not definitive - that Bush was AWOL.

But while everybody is focusing on the AWOL charge, they've skipped over an issue that is proven, cannot be denied, and for which there is documentary evidence.

During Bush's 6 year Air National Guard service:

• [05/1968 - 07/1970] Bush took two years of training to become a fighter pilot.
  
  
• [07/1970 - 05/1972] Bush flew for 2 years.
  
  
• [08/1972 - 08/1974] Grounded for "failing to accomplish annual medical examination" and never did anything during his final 2 years re-establish his ability to fly.

There's your indisputable issue: We've got the document where he was grounded. Nobody denies it. Nobody denies that Bush failed to become "flyable" after that. That's inexcusable, especially since it appears that "failing to accomplish" the medical examination meant "failing to take" a medical examination.

THE CHARGE: Because Bush ignored fighter pilot regulations he was grounded for the last two years of his duty.

He was trained by the United States for military service, but then made it impossible for him to fulfill his obligation to the country. Bush squandered the time and expense of his traing - somebody else should have gotten that coveted National Guard slot and served with distinction. Or will Bush-supporters argue that working for the political campaign of Winton Blount was more important than serving one's country?

References: Atrios' list of links.

posted by Quiddity at 5/07/2003 10:43:00 AM